Some might have written-off Auckland Fide Master Robert Smith's representative chances as over when he narrowly missed selection for the New Zealand team to compete at the Turin Olympiad earlier this year. However, he refreshed his claim by winning the inaugural George Trundle NZ Masters trophy in September.
The event was organised by the Auckland Chess Centre in the wake of the hugely successful Queenstown Classic as a way to give several top New Zealand players a chance to earn the International Master title. Australians IM Stephen Solomon, IM Guy West and FM Tim Reilly, as well as Brisbane-based German IM Peter Froehlich were invited to provide the necessary strength of opposition to meet the international requirements for IM norms. The New Zealand hopefuls were Smith, FM Stephen Lukey, FM Bruce Watson, Michael Steadman, Nicholas Croad and Graeme Spain. A score of 6½ would earn an IM norm for those not already qualified.
In the event Solomon and West shared first on 7 points, and the Australian Reilly was the only player to gain the coveted IM norm in third on 6½. As the highest local player on 4½, Smith took the trophy with a still excellent performance. A qualification tournament for a spot in next year's event was held concurrently and was won by Hilton Bennett of Hamilton.
Today's game features the probably the New Zealand player most favoured player to next achieve the IM title: Stephen Lukey. His sharp aggressive style did not come off in this tournament, but this typical sacrificial attack with White against Steadman bore fruit.
1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 b6 4.Nc3 Bb7 5.a3 d5 6.Bg5 Be7 7.e3 O-O 8.Rc1 Nbd7
By transposition we have the Tartakower Queens Gambit Declined with the move a3 and Black's bishop committed to b7. The following exchange is the natural way for White to keep the a8-h1 diagonal closed and aim pieces at the kingside. 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Bd3 c5 11.O-O a6 12.Qe2 Ne4 13.Bf4 ---
White favours a complex struggle rather than the simplifying 13 Bxe7. 13. --- f5 14.Ne5 c4 15.Bb1 b5
Black appears to have nailed down the central light squares and have endgame prospects with his queenside pawn majority. But White's next move shows the centre to be far from secure. 16.g4! Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Bc8 18.Nxe4! fxe4 19.f3 exf3 20.Rxf3 Bf6
Obviously not 20 ... Bxg4? 21 Rxf8+ winning the bishop. Now 21 ... Bxg4 winning the exchange is threatened, but White already has two open files and two diagonals heading toward the black king. 21.Rcf1! Bxg4 22.Qc2 Bxf3 23.Qxh7+ Kf7 24.Rxf3 Ke6 25.Bf5+ Ke7 26.Bxf6+ Rxf6 27.Qxg7+ Kd6 28.e4! Rf8?
The pressure finally tells. But after 28 ... dxe4 there would follow 29 Qg3+ Ke7 30 Qe5+ Kf8 31 Rh3! Rh6 32 Rg3 Ra7 33 Be6! and there is no answer to 34 Rg8+. 29.Rg3!
The threat of 30 Rg6+ is crushing, so Black resigned.
Smith resurgent
Problem: White to play and mate in 3.
Some might have written-off Auckland Fide Master Robert Smith's representative chances as over when he narrowly missed selection for the New Zealand team to compete at the Turin Olympiad earlier this year. However, he refreshed his claim by winning the inaugural George Trundle NZ Masters trophy in September.
The event was organised by the Auckland Chess Centre in the wake of the hugely successful Queenstown Classic as a way to give several top New Zealand players a chance to earn the International Master title. Australians IM Stephen Solomon, IM Guy West and FM Tim Reilly, as well as Brisbane-based German IM Peter Froehlich were invited to provide the necessary strength of opposition to meet the international requirements for IM norms. The New Zealand hopefuls were Smith, FM Stephen Lukey, FM Bruce Watson, Michael Steadman, Nicholas Croad and Graeme Spain. A score of 6½ would earn an IM norm for those not already qualified.
In the event Solomon and West shared first on 7 points, and the Australian Reilly was the only player to gain the coveted IM norm in third on 6½. As the highest local player on 4½, Smith took the trophy with a still excellent performance. A qualification tournament for a spot in next year's event was held concurrently and was won by Hilton Bennett of Hamilton.
Today's game features the probably the New Zealand player most favoured player to next achieve the IM title: Stephen Lukey. His sharp aggressive style did not come off in this tournament, but this typical sacrificial attack with White against Steadman bore fruit.
1.d4 e6
2.Nf3 Nf6
3.c4 b6
4.Nc3 Bb7
5.a3 d5
6.Bg5 Be7
7.e3 O-O
8.Rc1 Nbd7
By transposition we have the Tartakower Queens Gambit Declined with the move a3 and Black's bishop committed to b7. The following exchange is the natural way for White to keep the a8-h1 diagonal closed and aim pieces at the kingside.
9.cxd5 exd5
10.Bd3 c5
11.O-O a6
12.Qe2 Ne4
13.Bf4 ---
White favours a complex struggle rather than the simplifying 13 Bxe7.
13. --- f5
14.Ne5 c4
15.Bb1 b5
Black appears to have nailed down the central light squares and have endgame prospects with his queenside pawn majority. But White's next move shows the centre to be far from secure.
16.g4! Nxe5
17.Bxe5 Bc8
18.Nxe4! fxe4
19.f3 exf3
20.Rxf3 Bf6
Obviously not 20 ... Bxg4? 21 Rxf8+ winning the bishop. Now 21 ... Bxg4 winning the exchange is threatened, but White already has two open files and two diagonals heading toward the black king.
21.Rcf1! Bxg4
22.Qc2 Bxf3
23.Qxh7+ Kf7
24.Rxf3 Ke6
25.Bf5+ Ke7
26.Bxf6+ Rxf6
27.Qxg7+ Kd6
28.e4! Rf8?
The pressure finally tells. But after 28 ... dxe4 there would follow 29 Qg3+ Ke7 30 Qe5+ Kf8 31 Rh3! Rh6 32 Rg3 Ra7 33 Be6! and there is no answer to 34 Rg8+.
29.Rg3!
The threat of 30 Rg6+ is crushing, so Black resigned.
1-0
Solution:1 Rg5+! Kxg5 (1 ... Kh6 2 Nf7#) 2 Nf7+ Kh5 3 g4#.